It’s one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make. Can you guess?

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

Rules and consequences. It’s never easy to find the sweet spot between the two. Which is probably why I’ve seen so many families avoid the issue altogether … and never establish a clear system in their home.

One of my friends, Dr. Shannae Anderson, said this on a recent radio program: “Teenagers need to push against something to propel them out into the world. If there are no boundaries around them, they’ll never have the internal equipment to be able to live a responsible, healthy life.”

And boy, did she hit the nail on the head!

When you communicate boundaries with love and patience … you give your teen the tools they need to become mature, independent adults.